Regulator for electrical circuits.



F. CON R-A D." REGULAIUR FOR ELECT RICAL CIRCUITS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3. 1910.

' v Patented July 20, 1915.

; Big-2.

WITNESSES: INYENTOBL A TTORNEY v F. CONRAD. REGULATOR FOR ELECTRICAL CIRCUITSLY 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2'.

"W T ST f I y INVENTOR 5 ATTORNEY Patented Jul 20, 1915. I

UNITE STE Pars nncE.

ann NKcoNRAn, or swxssvhnn, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'ro WESTINGHOUSE yanm.

To all whom it'may] concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK CONRAD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Swissvale, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvex ent in Regulators for Electrical Circuits,

f which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to regulators for electrical circuits and particularly: to such regulators as are adapted to maintain the voltage of a circuit substantially constant or to govern the operation of a booster that is employed in connection with a secondary battery. I i

The object of my invention is to provide a regulator, of the character indicated, that always effect the desired correction or ad generator. In'Fig. 2, theinvention is ap-' shall be reliable in operation and that shall justment: Without the action known as um Jin o-r huntin Figurel of the accompanying drawings is adiagrammatic view of a system embodying my invention as applied to the regulation ofthe voltage of an alternating current plied to the regulation of a direct current circuit of which 'is gove generator, and in Fig. 3 it is applied to the regulation of a-boo'st'er that is employed in connection with'a battery.

In Fig. 1, the field'magnet winding l ef an alternating current generator 2, that'is' connected to a distributing circuit 3, is sup pliedqwith exciting. current from an exciter 4: having-a shunt-excitedfield magnet wind,- i'ng 5 in series withwh-ich is a resistance 6.

Connected in shunt to the resistance 6,is a

air 'ofjrela'tively movable contact terminals and 8, the contact terminal 8 being carried by the movable armature 9 of a relay havingan operatingmag-net winding 10, the

operating movable contact terminals 11 and '12 that are carried, respectively, by levers 13 r and 14.

- The contact terminal 11 is ino untediu pon' a resilient "armor member 15 that is attached to'the lever, 13 and is; insulated therefrom,

a stop 16 being provided. on the lever- 13. for the outer free end of'the arm 15. The; lever 13 is also provided with acontactter .minal l7' that is adaptedlto' make and break contact with a stationary.eontactjterminal f 18 which is connected tonne-terminal otfhe' lse ecgenerator 2. I The contact-terminal;

ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING- GOMPANY, A CORPORATION Specification of Letters Patent.

by a pair-of 00-.

OF PENNSYL REGULATOR FOR ELECTRICAL C IRCUITS.

Patented July 20, 1915. I

Application filed February 3, 1910. Serial No. 541,786.

trically connected to the lever-'13, and the leveris, in turn, connected to a stationary contact terminal 19, of a relay that comprises also an armature 21, a contact terbut also by the contact terminals 11 and 12.

Y The lever is operated, against the tension of a spring 28, by means of an electro magnet winding 23 that is connected between'one terminal of the generator 2 and the lever 13, so that its circuit is governed primarily by the contact terminals 17 and 18 and secondarily by the contact terminals 19 and 20. The operationlof the lever 13 is delayed by means of an adjustable dash pot 25, the retardation aiforded by which is equal or-proportional to the delay in the rise I of the generator field strength to its full value.

Thelever 14 is actuated by means of an electro-magnet winding 26 which is connected. between terminals of the'generator 2, a

dash pot 27 being provided for dampening 85 vthe movements of said lever.

The disposition and adjustment of the parts is such that the contact -members 11 and 12 will always engage before, and become .disen-'- gaged after, the terminals 17 and 18.

In the operation of the regulator, the members of the several sets of cooperating contact terminals are caused to alternately make and break contact with each other and thus govern the eiiective value of the field strength of the exciter, which depends upon the relation of the periods during which the resistance 6 is shunted to the periods during which it is not shunted. The resistance 6 is so adjusted that, when the load and voltage 100 -upon the circuit 3 are normal, the periods during which it is shunted shall be equal to the periods during which it not shunted, which means that the terminals 7 and 8 ment for equal periods of time;

'will' be in engagement and out of engage- 105 The desired result isobtained in the 01 lowing -manner: With the various contact lmQQhGIS'OCCHPYlIIg the positions shown, the

sistance 6 is included n the circuit of the 110;

. field magnet winding 5, with the resultthat the field of the e'xciter is weakened and its voltage correspondingly diminished. This, in turn, reduces the field strength and the voltage of the generator 2, and the magnet V 26 accordingly exerts a slightl 1 decreased pull upon its armature and the contact terminal 12 is raised slightly toward the terminal 11. Also, under the conditions illustrated, the circuit of the magnet winding 23 is open and the spring 28 moves the lever 13 to eficctengagement of the contact termi-' nals 11 and 12, the Increment of the lever, being delayed by the dash pot Engagement of the terminals 11. and 12 establishes a circuit for the relay magnet winding '10 .from one terminal of the generator to an other by way of devices it, 12, 11, 15 and 10.

Engagement of the terminals 7 and 8 is caused by' the magnet 10, when energized, and the resistance 6 is then shunted, the result being that the field strength and the voltage of both the exciter and the gen ,erator are increased. The. increase of the generator voltage causes the pull of the magnet 26 upon its core to increase and thus move' the contact terminal 12 awayfrom the terminal 11. However, since the currents in the field magnet windings of the exciter and the generator lag considerably behind the applied voltages, the voltage of ,the generator will not respond immediately can be efiected by the winding 26 alonegithe winding 23 is provided for operatingthe' lever 13in opposition to spring 28, and the auxiliary contact-members 17 and 18 are provided for establishing its circuit.

As before stated, the arrangement and'disposition of parts are such that the contact members 11 and 12 will always be caused to engage-before themem'ber 17 is brought into engagement with the member 18, and also such ,that the member 17 will be disengaged from the member 18 before the members 11 and 12 become disengaged. Thus, a short" period after the contact members .11 and 12 engage, and, consequently, a short period after theshunting of the resistance 6 by- .the contactterminals 7 and- 8, the circuit of,

the winding 23 is establishedand it then yexertsna pull whichztends to separate the conta-ct terminals 11- and as Well as the members 17 and18. In'orti'er'that the winding 23may continue. to e'Xerta pull after theseparation of the contact members 17 and 18 and until separation of the members 11 and 12, the relay device 19-202122 is provided, the circuit of the magnet winding of which is established upon engagement oi the main and auxiliary contact members 11 and 12, and 17 and 18,-respectively. Uponestablishment of the circuit of the winding 22, the contact members 19 and 20 establish a supplemental circuit for the winding 23 in shunt to the circuit that includes the members 17 and 18.- A similar supplementary circuit is also established for the relay magnet winding 22. Thus, the circuits of the ma net windin s and 23 remain intact after the separation of the contact members 17 and 18and until separation of the contact members 11 and 12, the magnet 23 continuing, during this period, to exert a pull which tends tov separate the. contact terminals 11 and 12. The movements of the lever 13 are delayed by the dash pct 25 to correspond to the delay in the rise of the current in the generator field winding to its full value, and, consequently, the. separation of the contact members 11 and 12, as well as that of the contact members 7 and 8, occurs at Just the correct time for preventing the field current and voltage of the generator from rising materially, above the correct value. Upon separationof the contact members 7 and S, the resistance 6 is again 1ncluded in the circuit ofv the field winding 5,

and the exciter and generator voltages are again diminished, with the result that the winding 26 exerts a diminished pullupon its armature, and the contact terminal 12 is,

accordingly, slightly raised. The spring 28 again causes the contact terminal 11 to move downwardly, but suchmovement is delayed by the dash pot 25 to correspond to the lowering of the values of the field current and voltage of the generator. Thus, reengagement of the contact members 11 and 12 occurs sooner than it would occur if the magnet 26 were rel-led upon alone to efiect such engagement, and it also occurs at just the correct time for obtaining the desired voltage adjustment of the generator. The regulator continues to operate by causing the various-sets of-contact members to engage and befldisengaged' alternately, and the exciter field strength and voltage accordingly fluctuate to a slight degreejthe gen- .erator field tifength and voltage also fluctu-v ating somewhat, but to a ni'iuch less degree. In'ifact,'tl1e fluctuations of the generator voltage are almostimperceptible.

Under normal conditions of the circuit,

the regulator will preferably'be so adjusted that the contact members 11 and 12' and also the members 7 and-8 will engage and be disengaged forequal periods of time. If, however, there is a heavy load upon thedistributing circuit, which tends to reduce the voltage, and which requires a stronger excitation of the generator -field'for the purpose of maintaining the voltage of the. circuit. substantially constant or at its normal value,

it will be understood-that the contact members ll' and 12, and also the members 7 and 8, should engage for longer-periods of time than they remain out of engagement, in 33 by the generator34.

order that the resistance 6 may be shunted 1hr greaterperiods of time than it is included in the circuit of the exciter field winding. This result, is effected by the magnet winding 26, which -loeing slightlygless energized on account of reduced voltage-of the di'stributing'circuit, permits thecontact member. 12 to occupy'a somewhat raised position. -Accordingly, engagement of the contact member 11 with the member 12 'occurs sooner and is maintained somewhat longer, than when the load on the circuit is normal," the resiliency of thearm 15 on which the member 11 is mounted permitting such prolonged engagement. On the other hand, if the load upon the circuitis less than normal, reverse conditions are fcaused to prevail in a manner which will be readily .under.

stood from the foregoing description.

-- In the case of direct-current, shunt-excited generators, a regulating resistance may be included directly in the'circuit with the field magnet winding 31 of the generator, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and the relay 78 910 may be adapted to govern the said resistance, as described in connection with ing connected in series with each otheracross said circuit. The field magnet windrent from anexciter 38 that is providedlwi-th- Fig. 1, the remainder ofthe operation of the regulator being also the same as that of Fig. '1. The regulator may alsobe employed for the purpose of regulating the load upon agenerator that suppliesa-circuit in connection with a. battery and a booster, as illustratd in Fig; 3. In this figure,the circuit 32-33 is supplied with'current from a generator 34, a battery 35 and-a booster 36,, be-

ing'37 of the booster is supplied with cur.-

a main shunt field winding 39 and twoaux- "...series with which-are included resistances 42 5o'fMd 43, respectively.- A common terminal iliary opposing 'field' windings 40 and 41,. in

of the auxiliary field windings 40 and41 iscon.nect ed to the circuit 32'33,- and the other terminals are connected, respectively I to stationary contact'members 44 and 45 of a relay device that comprises an operating magnet winding 46, and a: movable contact .member 47, which is vibrated between. the

stationary contact members 44 and 45 by the magnet 46 and is connected-to a common terminal of the resistances 42 and .43.

The remaining structural features. of the 1 regulatorare the same as thoseof theregulitters, of Figs. 1 and 2,.andthe. electrical connections of the'parts are also substane5 'tialliv; the same, one variation, however, conlator magnet winding 48.

sisting in the connection of the magnet winding 48Which corresponds ,to the magnet winding 26 of Fig.'1.in shunt'to a resistance 49 that is included in series with distributing circuit conductor 33, so that it re ceives current which is proportional in amount, to that supplied to the circuit 32' It will be understood that, if the load upon the circuit 3233 is such that it can be supplied by the generator 34 alone, and the battery 35 neither receives nor-discharges current, the booster voltage should be substantially zero. This result is secured, as in" the system of Fig. 1, by causing gaged for equal periods of time, which, in

turn, causes the contact member 47 to engage the members 44 and 45 for equal periods of time. The resistances 42 and 43; are thus shunted for equal periods, and the auxiliary field windings 40 and 41 of the exciter are energized for equal periods, with the result lator magnet winding 48, thus causing the the contact members-11 and 12 to-engage and be disen-* contact members 11 and 12 to be disengaged for longer'periods of time than they are engaged, and also causing the contact member 47 .to engage the member 44 for longer periodsthan-it engages the member- 45. This,

in turn, shunts the resistance 42 for longer periods than the resistance 43 is shunted, and the field wlnding 40 predominates over the winding 41, and-the exciter 38 is thus caused togenerate a voltage of such direction that the booster voltage supplements that of the. battery 35 and enables the battery to discharge current to' the line and thereby assist the generator in carrying theload. If

theload uponthe distributing circuit is light, a diminished amount of currentwill traverse the resistance 49, and also the regu- The contactmemb'ers 11 and 12 will then engage'for longerperiods than they are disengaged, and the contact member 47 will engage the member 45 for longer periods than it engagesv the member 44. The resistance 43 is thus shunted for longer periods than the resist- ;ance 42, and the fieldwinding 41 predominates over the winding 40 and causes the exciter voltage to be of such direction and value that the booster voltage will oppose the battery-voltage sufliciently to cause a tially constant or, at least, will not exceed charging of the battery. The regulating action is such, under all conditions and load, that the booster voltage will be of such direction and value as to cause the battery 35 to discharge, or charge, or float upon the. 'line, according to the condition of the load,

and in such a manner that the load carried by the generator 34 will remain substana predetermined value. It will, of course, be understood that the structural detailsand circuit connections of the regulator are susceptible of considerable modification,

and that the regulator may be employed,

and its principlesapplied under other conditions than those described and illustrated, and wherever the same may bev found of utility or advantage, without departing from the spirit of the invention.-

I claim as my invention: 1. An electrical regulator comprising a pair of main cooperating movable contact members,-one, of which is resiliently mounted, operating windings for the said contact members, an auxiliary contact member also operated by one ofsaid windings and gov-' erning its circuit, and a relay having an operating winding the circuit of which is governed by the main and auxiliary contact members, the said relay beingprovided with a contact member that establishes and maintains a supplementary circuit for the operating winding of the auxiliary contact member until disengagementof the main contact members. i 2. In an electrical regulator, the combination with a pair of main cooperating movable contact members one of whichis resiliently mounted, operating windings for thesaid contact members, auxlli'ary contactmembers oneof which is actuated-by one of said windings and governs its circuit, and means for retarding the movements caused by the winding that operates the auxiliary contact member, of a relay having a winding the circuit of which is'go'verned by the? main and auxiliary contact members,the--' said rela establishing a supplemental cir- Cult @W in'gfthatoperates one f the auxiliary Contact m eps and for its'own;

Winding upon engagementzoit the mainand auxiliary contact members,and for malntaining said supplemental circults untll sep-' "aration of'the main contact members.

' 3. In an electricalregulator, the combin'a-' tion with a pair of main cooperating movable contact members one of which is resil-' iently mounted, operating windings for said contact members, a pair of auxiliary contact members one of which is operated by one of' said windings and governs its circuit, the mam contact members being arranged to engage before and be disengaged after the auxiliary contact members, of .a relay device comprising a winding the circuit of which.

is governed by the main and auxiliary contact members, the said relay device e'stablislr ing a supplemental circuit for the winding that operates one ofthe auxiliary contact members upon engagement of the main and auxiliary contact members, and maintaining the said supplemental circuit until separation of the main contact members occurs.

4. In an electrical regulator, the combination with a pair of main cooperating movable contactmembers, operatmg windings for said contact members, a pair of auxiliary contact members one of which is operated by one of said windings and governs its circuit, the main contact members being arranged to engage before and be disengaged after the auxiliary contact members, of a relay devicecomprising a winding the circuit of which is governed by the main and auxiliary contact members,;the said relay device estab lishing 'a supplemental circuit for the winding that operates one ofthe auxiliary contact members upon engagement. of the main and auxiliary contact members, and maintaining the said supplemental circuit until the separation of the main contact members occurs.

5. An electrical regulator comprising a. pair of mam cooperating movable contact members that normally tend to engage, a continuously energized Winding for actuating one of said members in response to electrical variations in the circuit to be regulated, an intermittently energized actuating Winding for the othermember, a pair ofauxiliary contact members one of which is actuated. by the intermittently energized winding and governs the circuit of said wmdlng, the auxlhary contact members engaging and disengaglng before the mam contact members, and means for establish-4 ing a supplemental-circuit for the intermit-' tently energized actuating winding upon en'- gagement of the main and auxiliary contact members and for maintainingsaid supplemental circuit' 'until disengagement of the main cgntact members occurs.

- 6. An electrical regulator comprising a 'air of cooperating movable contact memers, means for causing said members to engage, a continuously energized winding for j *actuating' one of saidmembers, and an intermittently energized winding for actuating the other member in opposition to said. means the circuit of which is governed by the said members jointly, the said parts 00- operating to cause continuous vibration of the contact members into and out of engagement. v

' 7. An electrical regulator comprising" a Ipair of cooperating movable contact members, means for causing said members to engage, a continuously energized winding "for actuating one of said members, an intermittently energized winding for actuating the 1.30

other memberin Pl SitiOn tosaid means the circuit of which'isgoverned by the said}.

members jointly, the said parts cooperating."

to cause continuous vibration of the/contact members into and out of engagement, and means for retarding-the movements of the member that is actuated by the intermittently energized winding.

- members, means for establishing a tempo- ;is actuated by the intermittently energized.

u winding for the other contact member, and

- v members that normally tend to engage, actuating-windings for the respective members rary"supplemental circuit for the intermittently energized winding, and means for retarding the movements of the member that winding.

10. The combination with a generator, of a regulator for'adjusting its field strength comprising a pair of cofiperating movable contact members, means tending to cause said members to engage a continuously energized winding for actuating one of said contact members in response to electrical variations in the circuit supplied by the generator, an intermittently energized actuating means for retarding the movements caused by the intermittently energized winding. similarly to the current retardation in the generator field circuit during normal operation.

11. An electrical regulator comprising a pair of mairi' Eotiperatingmovable contact and means for retarding the movements of one; of said members, a pair of auxiliary contact members one of which is operated byone of said windingsand governs its cir- V .cuit,theauxiliary contact member's engaging subsequent to, w: disengaging in advanceof, the main contact members, a relay Copies otthis patent may be obtained for five cents -.;device=comprising a Winding the circuit of Whichisgoverned by the main and auxiliary contact, members, the said relay device establishing a supplemental circuit for the I winding that operates. one of the contact members uponenga'gement of the main and auxiliary contact members, and maintaining the said supplemental circuit until separation of the main contact members occurs.

12. An electrical regulator comprising two movable contact-carrying members, contacts carried thereby, one of which is movably mounted with respect to themember that carries it, means for acting continuously upon one of said members to cause engage nient of the contacts, an intermittently energized winding acting in opposition to the sa d means the circuit of which is controlled by said contacts, said parts cooperating to cause continuous vibration of the contacts into and out of enga ement, and a continuously energized win ing for actuating the other member.

13.'The combinationwith a dynamo-electrict machine, of a regulator for adjusting the'excitation thereof comprising cooperating movable contact members, means tend- .ing to cause said members to engage, means for actuating one of said members in response to variations of the voltage of said machine, means for intermittently. applying an'actuating force to the other member, and means for retarding its operation similarly to the retardations of the exciting current of the said machine during normal operation.

14. The combination with a dynamo-electric machine, of a regulator for adjusting the excitation thereof comprising cooperating movable contact members, means tending to cause said members to engage, means for actuating one of said members in re- 'sponse to variations of the voltage of said machine, means for applying an actuating force to the other member, and means for retarding its operation similarly to the retardations of the exciting current of the said machine during normal'operation.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 27th day of J an., 1910.

' FRANK CONRAD.

Witnesses:

O'rro S. SCHAIRER, B. B. HINES.

each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Patents,

- washrngtgn, D. 0.. 

